ENHANCING AND EVALUATING CAPACITY OF ELDER ABUSE FATALITY REVIEW TEAMS TO IMPROVE VICTIM SERVICES

In an effort to propel national progress in identifying and remedying elder abuse and financial exploitation, OVC's Field-Generated Innovations in Addressing Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Project is funding eight innovative field-generated projects in three Purpose Areas: (1) the use of technology, (2) encouragement and enhancement of cross-collaboration in victim services, and (3) the offer of enhanced or new legal remedies for victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation.

Under Purpose Area 2, the American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education will build on the foundational Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams (EAFRT) model with the goal of enhancing and evaluating the capacity of EAFRTs to improve delivery of victim and ancillary services supporting elder abuse victims. Specifically, the ABA Law and Aging project will inventory and survey EAFRTs; update and enhance training and technical assistance for existing and potential EAFRTs; evaluate EAFRT's effectiveness at improving victim services; and disseminate project products and findings. Project staff will establish an expert panel to advise the project activities and will partner with the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to conduct a program evaluation. CA/NCF